Method of treating amorphous bodies and produce thereof.



EDWARD GOODMGH'AEHESON, OF'NIAGARA FALLS; ONTARIO, CANADA.

METHOD OF T AsMQRPI-IQUS BODIES AND PRODUCT THEREOF.

No Drawing.

Tooll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Goonnron Acnnsou, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Treating Amorphous Bodies and Product Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

In my prior patents relating to the deflocculation of insoluble amorphous bodies by means of re-agents having effects like those due to tannin, cutch, etc., I have pointed out that such re-agents are capable, when used in relatively small proportions and after a more or less prolonged action, of bringing about such subdivision of these bodies that they are capable of remaining indefinitely in suspension in water and other liquids, and of passing, when so suspended, through the finest filter paper. In this state, the bodies are said to be deflocculated. I have also pointed out that the maximum yield of suspensible or deflocculated material is secured when the presence of any substantial excess of the deflocculat- 'ing agent is avoided.

I have found that when a considerable proportion or excess of the re-agent, as, for example, an aqueous solution of cutch or tannin, with or without the addition of ammonia, is used, there is at first a marked defiocculating action,'the material passing into the suspensible condition; after some time, however, the liquid becomes clear and may be decanted or filtered from any solid residue.

Referring specifically to the treatment of graphite I have observed that when a weighed quantity of finely pulverized graphite is subjected to the action of an aqueous solution of cutch, the latter in such excess of the proportion suitable for deflocculation, with production of a suspensible body, that a clear liquid is obtained as above described, there is a disappearance or apparent loss or solution of a portion of the graphite which may attain 15% or more of the total weight, at times very greatly ex- Sp ecifiea-tiono!- Eetters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1910. Serial No. 559,830.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

ceeding this proportion. Under proper conditions substantially all of the material may be dissolved.

On evaporating the clear filtrate from the graphite treated as above, there was observed an abundant separation of a black pulverulent material, which I have collected and dried. This material is freely soluble in water, particularly when heated. Its precise chemical nature is at present unknown.

Without therelgiy limiting the invention, it may be suggeste as a possible explanation of the observed phenomena, that the subdivision of the particles has progressed beyond the limits of visibility and to such an extent that the liquid appears clear to the eye. The disappearance of graphite and other amorphous bodies, under the conditions above described, is herein referred to as a solution of these bodies, although it is not intended to indicate thereby that such solution necessarily involves the entrance of the dissolved substance into chemical combination with the solvent. It is regarded as probable, however, that it does so enter into combination, at least, in some instances.

The solution may be aided by application of heat and stirring, or by pugging or masticating the mass in a paste form, followed by suitable dilution with water. Lampblack similarly treated appears to dissolve in the re-agentwith considerable readiness, and I now believe the process to be applicable broadly to those amorphous and insoluble materials, which, as pointed out in my prior patents, have been found capable of defiocculation and suspension.

I claim:

1. The method of treating amorphous bodies of the character described, which consists in re-acting thereon with a deflocculating agent containing tannin or equivalent substance in excess of the proportion required to produce deflocculation, whereby a part or all of the material is dissolved.

2. As a new composition of matter, a solution of an amorphous body of the charac- I 5 lating medium cqntamingtannin 1- equivater described in a, defloeculeting medium substance in excess of the proportion re- 10 --containing tannin or equlvalent substance. q'ulred to'produce deflocculatlon. 3. As a new COmPOSitIOD. of matter, a so-- In testimony wliereof, I -aflix my signa-' lution-of carbon or graphite in. a defloccuturf'ein presence eftwo witnesses. h v lent Substance v I Enwm" 60011121011 Manson."

. 4. The-method, which censis ts in feectin'g Witnesses! upon carbon or graphite with a deflocculat- .EDW. G; ACHESON,'J1., fing agent pdntaming tannin or equivalent FRANK N. Con. 

